Page 18 of Mistletoed with the Mountain Man
"You started it, naughty little Christmas angel." But I'm chuckling too, and somehow she wriggles us onto the floor.
As she squirms away, I chase with threatening fingers. "This is what happens when you provoke a deputy."
"You're—" She's gasping between giggles. "You're supposed to—protect and serve!"
"I'm protecting the sanctity of Christmas decorating." I grab her wrist, pinning it gently above her head, my fingers skittering over her ribs. "And serving justice to smart-ass decorators."
She's beneath me now, writhing and laughing, flushed and breathless on the hardwood floor.
The laughter fades as our eyes lock.
I yank a section of lights free, maybe a little too roughly. "There. You're loose."
"Am I?" She looks up at me with those wide eyes. "Because I feel pretty caught."
Every rational thought in my head is screaming at me to put distance between us. Begging me to remember all the reasons this is a terrible idea.
My hands flex on her waist. "Nia."
"Yes, Officer?" She's grinning now, the little tease.
"You're playing with fire," I growl.
"Maybe I like the heat."
My thumb traces her ribcage under her sweater. "I’m…"
"Tell me,” she breathes, biting her lip.
Damn her.
For one perfect, terrible moment, I consider it. Showing her exactly what I want. Hiking up her sweater, making her gasp my name while I?—
But then I force myself to stand, offering her a hand up.
"Come on. This tree isn't going to decorate itself."
She takes my hand, but I don't miss the look in her eyes. Like everything I do only makes her want me more.
Fuck.
We go back to working, and thankfully, she puts on some Christmas music through her phone.
I still notice every move she makes. The way she bites her lip while concentrating. How she smoothes and fluffs all the decorations. The soft humming that's becoming as familiar as my own heartbeat.
"Tell me more about your sister and her new husband," she says suddenly, hanging a delicate glass icicle. "I only know them superficially, from the few times I’ve met them at events around town."
I smile despite myself. "Sadie's the baby. Twenty-five. She's got this eternal optimist thing going that used to drive me crazy when we were kids."
"Used to?"
"Now I appreciate it. She sees the good in everyone. That’s what our dad taught us. But she really took it to heart." I hand her another ornament. "It’s how she got Ledger to warm up to her."
"And Ledger?"
"Good guy. Makes her happy, which is all that matters to me. He brews beer, and knows these mountains like the back of his hand. They met when she was trying to cite him for illegal foraging."
"That's really funny. And kinda romantic.”
